Diploma in Cyber Security and Forensics pioneer class at Institute of Forensics & ICT Security on 12th August 2019 orientation talk by Mustapha B Mugisa. A career in cybersecurity offers unlimited opportunities across industries and countries.
So who needs a cybersecurity professional?
Anyone who holds data needs cybersecurity professional. When you have something valuable at home, you need strong physical security. At home, the first priority are the people. The more senior the people in the home, the more physical security around their home. Take an example of State House, the first family lives there. For that reason, you will find very strong physical security. The security is set up in-depth – one goes through multiple check-points until you reach to the real place where the high net worth individuals (NHI) live.
When it comes to organizations, one of the most valuable assets is intellectual property and data. In addition to physical security (to prevent theft and physical loss), you need strong logical and cybersecurity. That is where cyber professionals come in. To create a defense in depth protection mechanisms over data.
Government institutions like Military, Ministries, National Authorities, Oil and Gas sector players, telecoms, banks, consulting firms, and software developers. All these organizations collect personal data. They need experts to test the security of their systems on-going. For example, companies like healthcare providers and pharmaceuticals, collect and process personal data. With new regulations in data privacy in the European Union, America and other countries, the need for cybersecurity assurance are high. All private and public sector companies need data security. For example, a fast-food restaurant on the street that provides food delivery services collects a lot of personal data from its clients like private residential addresses where the meals are delivered. Such information in the hands of a criminal is a big asset. Such a company must undertake data privacy and protection seriously.
The threats to data are many.
There are the bad guys like hacktivists, folks who hack into digital resources to fight for a cause. A person or group of people with a social or political cause may gain unauthorized access to computer files or networks to protect or further their social or political causes as a motivator. In 2013, the website of a Ugandan Ministry was defaced by hacktivists who did not like the Uganda government’s stance on LGBT rights. Their point was made! Such data breach – the ability to take control of a government website speaks a lot about the state of security readiness. I hope as we talk, such a thing cannot be allowed to happen.
Organized crime is another group of folks that will not sleep until they get a piece of your data. Such groups invest a lot of resources in data mining, open-source intelligence, and intellectual data theft. Anything they get is valuable. Imagine an organized group hacking into your systems and getting hold of your entire customer database containing names, IDs, email and phone! Once the criminals get the data, the next thing is to monetize it.
Usually, once they get data they could put up for auction on the dark cloud. If an organized cybercrime team has 1000 records of saying a financial institution, someone could bid for such a data US $100,000 and they pay with cryptocurrency. No way to trace the transaction. And the buyers of the database can then ask for ransom or send spam emails for marketing purposes or cyberstalking and the 419 kinds of crime, and before you know it they have their investment recovered.
So many companies need cyber warriors like you to help bring sanity on this monster called the Internet. That is why a career in cybersecurity, computer forensics, and ethical hacking makes you one of the top professionals in high demand.
At our Institue of Forensics and ICT Security, you gain practical skills to become relevant in any room they place you. Unless other qualifications where someone can win with mere words. When it comes to cybersecurity, you must be hands-on. No stories. Actually, many international organizations no longer consider a degree in their recruitment. They want candidates to demonstrate their skills. They give you a challenge and you attempt it. Whoever does it better, is given an opportunity.
Like life, attack vectors continue to evolve and develop every day. You need a great professional by your side.
To be continued.
